Adam Benforado

Associate Professor of Law

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Biography

Adam Benforado’s principal interest is in applying insights from the mind sciences — most notably cognitive psychology — to law and legal theory. He is particularly focused on issues arising in criminal law, corporate law and contract law.

Conducting novel experiments and developing existing findings, Professor Benforado’s research is focused on uncovering how our legal system may reflect unappreciated aspects of our cognitive frameworks and processes, and, as a consequence, how the law may fail to align with our purported values and fall short of meeting society’s needs.

Professor Benforado received his JD from Harvard Law School and was a Frank Knox Fellow and Visiting Scholar with the Cambridge University Faculty of Law. He clerked for Judge Judith Rogers on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Professor Benforado also worked at Jenner & Block, LLP in Washington, D.C., where he handled trial and appellate litigation matters.

His book "Unfair: The New Science of Criminal Injustice" will be published by Crown in June 2015. His recent scholarly work includes three chapters in "Ideology, Psychology, and Law" published by the Oxford University Press, four articles in the Emory Law Journal, and articles in the Maryland Law Review, Indiana Law Journal, Cardozo Law Review, Oregon Law Review, Florida State University Law Review, St. Louis University Law Journal,Entrepreneurial Business Law Journal, Topics in Cognitive Science, and Cognitive Science.

Professor Benforado's op-eds, essays and letters have appeared in a variety of publications including the Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, New York Times, Providence Journal, Baltimore Sun, Houston Chronicle, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Legal Times and Boston Review.